Process for extracting oil from whale-blubber.



K. T. FOSSHEIM. PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING OIL FROM WHALE BLUBBER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4,1915.

Patented June 27, 1916.

/ ///////I/// /////I// l// PRESS KNUT THEODOR- FOSSI-IEIM, OF GHRISTIANIA, NORVIAY.

PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING OIL FROM WHALE-BLUBBER.

Application filed October 4, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KNUT THEODOR Foss- HEIM, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Christiania, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Extracting Oil from i/Vhale- Blabber; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object an improved process for extracting oil from whale blubber.

Hitherto oil has been extracted from whale blubber by boiling the latter in large boilers. This method however is expensive owing to the large amount of heat required. En deavors have therefore been made to extract the oil by mechanical means by submitting the blubber to pressure. Herein the inconvenience has however been experienced that the oil becomes impure by the admixture of blood from the intermediary layers between blubber and flesh, which are interwoven with blood vessels.

According to the present invention there has been found a cheap means of removing this blood before submitting the blubber to pressure and of preparing the latter simultaneously for the pressing operation by submitting it to a heating operation. This will in fact cause the blood to coagulate and detach itself from the blubber pieces so that the same may be fed to the press practically free of blood.

The annexed drawing illustrates an apparatus which may be used in carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan View of the same.

The apparatus comprises one or more boilers A to which the blubber is fed through troughs. The boilers are provided at the bottom with two sets of steam tubes C and D, one of which is perforated so as to allow the steam to escape to the interior of the boilers whereas the other set acts by indirect Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Serial No. 54,094.

heating. This combined heating method is essential to rapidly carry out the process and minimize the costs. It enables the boiling operation to be carried out in a dry condition, 71. 6., without the formation of condensation water in the boilers. In the common direct steam boiling the cold blubber pieces will cause a strong condensation and before long the water will rise to a high level in the boiler. In the present case, where it is not essential to effect a thorough boiling but only to strongly heat the superficial layers of the blubber, such a collection of water would greatly hamper and delay the process. By suitably proportionating the indirect heating surface to the direct steam heating, practically dry conditions of boiling may be realized and the process carried through very rapidly. From the boilers the blubber is fed through hatches or traps E on to grates F, where the blood and oil are allowed to drain. Beside the grates there are con .veyer belts G to which the blubber pieces are thereupon passed and on which they are taken to the press which is conventionally illustrated in the drawing. This arrangement allows of a continuous operation and requires little manual labor.

Claims:

1. The process of extracting oil from blubber containing blood, which process comprises heating the blubbers sufliciently to coagulate the blood, and extracting the oil from the heated blubber by subjecting the same to pressure, whereby an oil free from blood is obtained.

2. The process of extracting oil from blubber containing blood, which process comprises heating the superficial layers of the blubber sufficiently to coagulate the blood, and extracting the oil from the heated blubber by subjecting the same to pressure, whereby an oil free from blood is obtained.

3. The process of extracting oil from blubber containing blood, which process comprises subjecting the blubber to dry steam to heat the outer layers of the blubber and coagulate the blood thereof, and extracting the oil from the heated blubber by subjecting the same to pressure, whereby an oil free from blood is obtained.

4. The process of extracting oil from blubber containing blood, which process com In testimony that I claim the foregoing as prises superficially heating the blubber by my invention, I have signed my name in steaming and simultaneously subjecting the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

blubber to a dry heat to coagulate the blood, KNUT THEODOR FOSSHEIM. and subsequently subjecting the heated blub- Witnesses:

ber to pressure to extract oil therefrom free 0. FABRICIUS HANSEN,

from blood.. LUD WIENERG.

Genie: of thh patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

